We tried the TNR cafe the other night, and it was really not that bad. It may be a step up from just your local carry out, we will see in the coming weeks if that's true. The fried dumplings I had were very good. The owner's mother, who was waiting on tables give us a sampling of their ice cream, which was not made in house but very good. The coconut and lychee were very good! As for courthouse there really is no stand out restaurant, come to think of it, the only real star on Wilson Blvd. is Ray's. I do love the area inspite of it's lack of great places to eat, and diversity amoung it's residents.

You really need to visit the Java Shack. Small shop. Independent owner. Good coffee. Friendly staff. Green practices. Strong community involvement. What's not to love? I drive past a Starbucks at 1/2 the distance at least 5 or 6 times a week to get to this place. It is exactly the type of business I like to support.

ARLnow reports (in a sponsored post) that Tupelo Honey Cafe will be opening at 2000 Clarendon Blvd* on June 1st. The post states they're hiring for a variety of positions.
Tupelo Honey is a regional (NC, TN, FL, GA, and now VA) chain based in Asheville. According to their website "We serve fresh, scratch-made, Southern comfort food re-imagined." I haven't had the chance to try it out, but have several friends who are big fans.
It'll be nice to have another dining option in Courthouse.
* The info on the company website says 1616 N. Troy Street.

I live a few blocks from Earl's and my wife and I have been going just about every weekend for lunch. I am glad they have received the recognition from the Post! This is quality stuff folks. I have tried the Roast Pork, Roast Beef ( my favorite), Grilled Cheese, and the hamburger and hot dog. They just recently added hand cut French fries and these are very good, as well as the soups, if they have it I recommend getting trying the lentil.
If you live or work near the Courthouse or Claerdon area give Earl's a try! I have never seen many people there during my visits, and Five Guys is opening soon nearby, which could provide even more of a distraction form a very worthwhile sandwich shop!
http://www.washingto...6022100317.html

I don't see a thread for the Arlington location of RTS yet so I started one. Rocks - If I've missed it, my apologies. Just wanted to comment on my first visit there - it was everything I was expecting and more. As much as I like cool/hip decor/non-human eye candy in a restaurant, I really only ask three things of a place - good food, good wine list and good service. RTS was outstanding on all three counts. My wife took me for my birthday and having read quite a bit about it over the last few months on eGullet, I was expecting an exceptional experience and we got it. The service was prompt, attentive, friendly and not intrusive from the moment we got there through us walking out the door. The wine list is all its been said to be. Lots on really interesting, really great, really affordable selections - we had an amazing Cab (can't remember the name - it started with an "A" and was $28 a bottle) that, for the price, is probably the best value I've ever seen in a California Cab. Started off a little tight (to be expected in a 2002) but was still delicious and just opened up beautifully through dinner. And big bonus points for it being served at the proper temperature! We both started with soup - I had the sherried crab bisque and my wife had the onion. They were both fantastic although I enjoyed mine more - of course anything made with that much cream has to be good . For our entrees I had the hanger steak and my wife had the brochettes (I think I spelled that right). The hanger was simply the most flavorful piece of meat I've ever had and we have friends who their own beef cattle in MD. The steak will forever change how I judge good meat. Cooked perfectly at medium rare with bleu cheese crumbles. The brochettes and assorted veggies were also very good but I paled in comparison to the hanger steak. The sides were also as delicious as has been said before. The portions were quite generous and I look forward to finishing that steak tonight - and a nice touch when we got our meals boxed up for home, we got a refill on the sides. Being a big fan of key lime pie, there was no way to pass that up and man was it good! I'm not one for fanfare, my wife knows this and made no mention it was my birthday when she made reservations. It happened to slip out at some point during the night and the server made a point of telling me happy birthday and the desert was on the house. It is those little touches that really make a place shine. I can't wait to get back and try a different wine and have that hanger steak again.

What about Brooklyn Bagels in Courthouse? According to their website, they "kettle boil" their bagels. http://www.brooklynbagelva.com/home.html Overall, I like Brooklyn Bagels. Bagels generally chewy but I've had a bagel on occasion that was on the harder side, almost like it wasnt fresh. I haven't been to Georgetown Bagels for comparison.

Not sure if this is the right place (apologies if it is) but curious to see what everyone's three favorite restaurants are along this area?
My 3 in no particular order
1. Pho 75
2. Cava Mezze (esp Brunch)
3. TNR, go to Fish in Szechuan Broth
Honorable mention: El Pollo Rico, Green Pig Bistro

Velocity 5 in Arlington was sold a short while ago and will be converted to Arlington Social Haus The sale took place a short while ago and the new owners have been operating the restaurant as Velocity 5 for a bit.
This particular space has gone through operator after operator after operator. Good luck folks. I think that space has bad karma.

Wow, it's amazing how things sometimes loop together when you least expect them to - last week, I'd never before heard of Linn Meyers. Then, thanks to Tweaked's post about her Hirshhorn Exhibit, I went and saw it, and familiarized myself with the artist.
Now, this morning, while doing some research for this post about Long Bridge Park, I randomly stumbled across this page about public art in Arlington, VA, and found another work by Meyers: the etched-glass windows in the Courthouse public meeting rooms. This was completely by chance, and it was one of those moments when you're amazed by how small the world is.
This video is worth watching, especially if you've seen the Hirshhorn exhibition - both Meyers works I've seen to date definitely have a "signature style," and it's one I find to be very visually appealing. This particular work is functional, as it provides for privacy below head-level, and openness above.

Pursuant to Don's exhortation to post our most recent dining experience, I offer the following commentary on Delhi Dhaba's Bethesda location.
We had the buffet lunch there on Saturday. A massive dog-themed street fair had closed the street (Woodmont), and Delhi Dhaba was one of the few restaurants with enough outdoor seating to accommodate four adults, a child, and an infant. The buffet was small and nondescript, but contained nothing offensive: decent butter chicken; okay tandoori chicken; dal; a potato/pepper dish that was pretty good; palak paneer that was a little light on the paneer (had to go fishing with the ladle). There were a couple other things, but I can't remember what they were. Naan was a bit dry.
I did enjoy the gulab jamun for dessert. It wasn't as sickly-sweet as that dessert (along with many other Indian desserts) often is.
Service was par for the Indian restaurant course: Not what one would call attentive or speedy, but no one punched me in the face.
So, not bad. But since I have to get in my car to go there, I'd veer eastward and head to Woodlands to satisfy my buffet itches every time.

The relatively recently-opened Sala Thai at the corner of Clarendon Boulevard and N. Adams St. in Courthouse is closed. There's a large sign in the window advertising a new restaurant: "Me Jana." The sign states that the restaurant will feature "Fine Mediterranean Dining." Some quick Googling didn't turn up anything relevant for "Me Jana," though there seem to be one or more Mediterranean restaurants in other cities called "Mejana."

The Afghan Kabob is open where Courthouse Bistro used to be (and Atilla's before that.) (See previous discussion in the Courthouse Bistro thread.) It's an order-at-the-counter type of place. The menu includes various kabob plates and sandwiches, gyro sandwich, (freshly made) afghan bread. There's also vegetable and meat stews and curries and a few different kinds of rice in chafing dishes behind the counter. I'll have to come back and try a kabob sometime. There were a decent number of people in the place.

For those of you who might care, Ireland's Four Courts had a fire in their kitchen. Latest update via Twitter from ARLnow.com is that the upstairs kitchen will be closed for at least a month, and the lunch service during the week is closed - they're open 2 PM - 2 AM weekdays, 10 AM - 2 AM weekends. Hopefully my mug is okay!

Hi there! I would appreciate your help in planning a family event in april. As part of the lead-up to a wedding, we wanted to have a lunch on friday for about 40 people, most of whom are vegetarian. The engaged couple like La Sandia in Tyson's, so that's the default option, but, because everyone is staying in hotels at the courthouse metro, i'm hoping for something more convenient. it by no means has to be as formal a place as you'd have for a wedding brunch--it's just a casual family lunch--but it should be reasonably nice. people do have cars and can drive, but the place would need to have convenient parking.
I thought of Me Jana, which is right by the hotel, and the last time i went the food was good and the decor appropriate, but i haven't been there in like 3 years so things might have changed.
from the post website i found fireworks pizza and cafe asia, but i've never been to the former and don't know if it's nice enough, and i've only been to the latter for dinner, when it was too loud, but i don't know how it is at lunch.
I also thought of sawatdee, but there are apparently some people in the party who really don't like thai, so that's won't work.
Do any of you have any other suggestions? thank you!

After years of not having a meal at Sawatdee I finally made it the other afternoon for a late lunch. Alone, I had one main dish with a coke...not enough variety to give a significant review. But the single dish was tasty, mildly spiced and frankly way too much for me for lunch. Left me wanting a long nap.
Chicken with mango sauce. Mildly spicy, a reasonably healthy amt of mango adding its tang, all on white rice. I'll be back. The interior was upgraded about 2 years ago. Its got to be a popular restaurant in the region among regulars having survived so long in what is a hidden lousy location. Worth more visits IMHO.
From my perspective the only downside is there is no separate lunch menu, meaning portions are dinner sized...and of such size that it leaves me wanting a nap. Not a bad thing...but not a good thing for being productive for the rest of the afternoon.

One operating restaurant recently closed: Big Chair Cafe and Bar in Anacostia at Martin Luther King Avenue:
"Big Chair Cafe Bar & Grill Closes in Anacostia" by Jonathan O'Connell on washingtonpost.com
The other that is still operating under its name but changed management is Toscana Grill. The management between the operator and lease holder ended and the lease holder took it back.
In both cases the operators did not have leases. They had agreements with the existing lease holders (former operators) to operate the restaurants. It appears both agreements ended badly and quickly.
I knew of Big Chair through the bartending school as we provided them with a stream of bartenders. They converted from a coffee house to bar/restaurant and had an excellent run. From their Facebook page it appeared there was a lot of satisfaction with the operations.
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In the other case the most recent operator made a business deal with the lease holder (former operator) and ran the restaurant for a little over two years. It became a local favorite of mine. Initially because of the NJ/NY style Italian food, flavors, and pizza and then because the operator till just recently it was easily one of the most outgoing, fun, engaging people I had met in the restaurant business over many years. It was easy to become a regular...as with many others.
In the case of Toscana, the outgoing operator made a plan to leave, gave notice, but that quickly broke down and the change in operations occurred abruptly last week. I'll certainly miss the operations.
I can't speak to the changes if any in the menu.
One little note of interest: If you go to the restaurant website, you'll see a note from the website owner/former operator announcing the close down. Then go to the google reviews and sort by most recent:
You'll see a "planted review" responding to the website announcement and how great the place is.
In both cases the operators didn't hold the leases. Its a rough way to operate in my experience, and though its rare its also a way to get into the business as an operator with very little capital.

Odds are I'll probably end up at one of my usual haunts (Trummer's, Orso, Ray's, Passionfish, Eventide, etc.), but I was curious of DR.com thinks I should try someplace new. My only criteria:
1) It should be geographically proximal to some of the restaurants I listed: i.e. somewhere roughly on the 66/267 corridor in NoVA between Chantilly and Rosslyn. Alexandria in exceptional cases.
2) I'd need to be able to find a table at 7, 7:30PM tonight.
3) I've had an exhausting week entertaining clients in big crowds 24 hours a day in Vegas, so preferably someplace leisurely and intimate.
4) I like cocktails.
5) My date is an attractive blonde.
So, what do you think?